


Watching the Rain Fall

by DragonLover19



Category: Showdown Bandit (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Rain, secret friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-01-26 16:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21377281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonLover19/pseuds/DragonLover19
Summary: There's just something about watching water fall from the sky that has a strong effect on people.
Relationships: Showdown Bandit & Penny Hemsworth, Showdown Bandit/Penny Hemsworth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

There was water falling from the sky.

Penny's daddy told her that the water falling from the sky was called rain and it was rare for it to rain here in Showdown Valley. She asked her mama why water was falling from the sky, and her mama told her something about a water cycle. She only paid half attention to it, the other half mostly focused on the new thing called 'rain' pouring outside.

Through the afternoon, it kept raining, and Penny kept watching from the window with her little face pressed against the glass. She asked her daddy if she could go out to play in the rain, but he said no. So now she just sat there, watching transfixed on the rain that fell from the sky.

Until there was a knock at the door.

Penny looked away from the window, hearing the door open and her daddy's warm voice welcome someone. Curious, she slid off the chair and made her way to the living room, peeking in the room.

"-really, I'm sorry for droppin' in like this n' givin' you the trouble. This blasted rain is thicker than soup n' comin' down harder than a sack of rocks! We be wet ta the bone before we could make it back home."

"It's really no trouble Lorelei! Really! It's always welcomin' to see a friendly face round here. Yer welcomed to stay as long as you like."

"Well just until the rain lets up a little. I don't want to be much a bother to you n' yer family."

"Ahh, yer no bother. No bother at all!"

Penny looked between her daddy and the strange woman standing at the door. She had seen this woman before, though only at glances from a distance and never speaking to one another. Though her daddy seemed to be friendly with this woman, she was a little nervous and uneasy having this woman in her home.

"Speakin' of family, how is yer wife n' little one?"

"Oh, Daisy? She's fine. She's in our bedroom fixin' a tear in the sheets. Claims that this weather is a sign that cold nights are a comin'. N' as fer Penny she-oh! She's right over there."

When her daddy turned his eyes on to her, Penny ducked behind the wall, trying to stay hidden out of sight.

"Penny, come n' say hi to Miss Lorelei."

Penny peeked one eye out, looking between her father and the woman before slowly stepping out and walking over to her daddy.

"My sweet stars! Look how big she's gotten! Last I saw of her, she was just a tiny lil' babe!"

The woman said as Penny clung on her daddy's leg, staring up at the woman shyly.

"Go on starlight. Say hello to our guest."

Penny looked up at her daddy. He smiled back down at her, nodding his head the towards the woman. She looked at the woman, gripping her daddy tightly.

"... hi..."

"Why hello lil' sugar."

The woman bent down, looking Penny in the eye with a warm smile on her face.

"The name's Lorelei Undertaker. So you're the lil' Miss Penny I've been hearin' yer daddy talk about. It's nice to finally meet you."

The woman held out a hand towards Penny, but she shied away, hiding behind her daddy's legs.

"Sorry. Penny's a lil' shy round new people."

Her daddy chuckled, though she didn't understand what was so funny.

"Oh I know that feelin'. Youngens can be so shy to new things. Why its taken the boy some time to even step out of the house on his own."

"... boy?"

"... ya haven't heard?"

Penny peeked out from behind her daddy's legs, watching the woman stand at her full height. She almost reached to her daddy's chin, yet she looked taller to Penny somehow.

"No. Heard what?"

Penny felt a pair of eyes on her, looking back down to the woman's legs. She spotted something darting behind the woman's skirt.

"Oh, well. It's a long story, but... well..."

The woman moved to the side. Penny's eyed widen when she saw what was hiding behind the woman's legs.

"Oh my! I didn't know ya had yer own lil' one!"

"... he ain't mine."

Penny stared, looking at the young boy standing beside the woman. He looked to be around her age, maybe a little older. Bright orange hair sat on his head, dripping wet with water along with the rest of his clothes. His eyes were looking at the ground, but for a brief moment he looked up, looking right Penny before looking at the ground again.

"Not yers? So... he's-"

"Just livin' with me fer now. Heh. Poor dearie can be so shy round others, n' the orphanage already has enough problems with the building."

"... I see."

Her daddy bent down, holding a hand out to the boy.

"Well, howdy there son. I'm-"

Penny watched in shock as the boy's eyes widened, raising a hand up and slapped her daddy's hand away from him.

"_Boy!_"

The woman grabbed the boy by his shoulders, pulling him away.

"What have I told you 'bout hittin' people?! You ain't supposed ta slap 'em when they're tryin' ta be nice!"

The boy gave the woman a nasty pout, looking back to the ground again. The woman sighed, looking at her daddy sadly.

"I'm sorry. He means well when he behaves, but he's... _jumpy_, when someone gets too close."

The woman sighed, shaking her head and sending droplets of water around.

"I think we should just go now."

"No! No no no! It's fine. Ya'll can still stay till the rain lets up."

"But... the boy-"

"It's no trouble! Really, none at all! Besides, you both are drenched to the bone! Sendin' ya back out there would be cruel."

"I really don't want to be a bother."

"Well ya ain't. You n'... n'..."

"He... doesn't have a name. He won't tell me."

"Well, you n' him are welcomed here till the rain lets up. Now, how 'bout we get you some towels and dry off at the fire place?"

Her daddy led the woman away, leaving Penny alone with the boy. They stared at each other for a bit, looking at each other without a word. Then the boy made an odd sound with his mouth, and followed after her daddy and the woman.

* * *

The rain kept pouring outside, and the woman and boy were still here.

Penny no longer minded the woman once her mama hugged her and started talking with her. She hated it when mama talked with someone. Her mama would spend hours talking with them, and whatever they were talking about sounded boring to Penny.

So she sat quietly by the fire, playing with her toys as her mama and daddy talked with the woman. A couple of times they said her name, but every time she looked up, they were all chatting away with each other, so she went back to playing.

"I must say Lorelei. I don't normally see you 'round town no more. I know bein' Undertaker is hard work, but ya usually make time ta visit the town n' all the folks."

"Undertakin' is hard, I'll admit, but it's a job I'm happy ta do. N' someone has ta do it since the old coot kicked the bucket."

"Is it true he really died by rat poisin in his drink?"

"Honey, don't be believein' in those rumors."

"No he didn't. It was a heart attack that killed him. Quick n' swift as a gun, n' sneaky as a rat that he was."

"I'm still so sorry bout yer father's passin'."

"I ain't. The old man was old. N' _everyone_ knew he die before the year was out. Though, everyone thought he would doin' somethin' dumb instead of somethin' simple as a heart attack."

"But still. To leave you like that, the nerve of him! He could have at least stayed just a lil' longer n' help you with the Undertakin' n' yer son."

"The boy ain't mine."

Penny stopped playing with her doll, looking up at the adults sitting on the couch.

"... Whad'a mean?"

"It means what I said. He ain't mine."

The woman glance at the corner of the room where the boy sat. Penny didn't understand why he chose to be so far away from everyone, or away from the warm fire. He looked and saw the woman staring at him, sending a bad look and left the room.

"He's a special boy that happened to land in my care n'... well, he lives with me for now till I can find a more suitable home for him."

Penny wondered what the woman was talking about.

"How did you wind up with him anyhow?"

"_Darlin'._"

"Just curious."

"Oh it's fine. Nothin' much to say 'cept... well. Where do I begin?"

Penny went back to play, having lost interest in the conversation.

"It all started back when I was called away by another town. A local stumbled across a... _scene_ that required an Undertakers touch. Their Undertaker couldn't quite do it alone, so they called out for help for other Undertakers n' myself to help out..."

The room got quiet. Penny looked up at the adults, staring at them and confused about the looks on their faces. The woman looked like she was about to cry. Her daddy looked at her, frowning deeply.

"Penny, go to yer room. Mommy n' daddy need ta talk with Miss Lorelei."

Penny pouted. She didn't want to go to her room! She didn't do anything to get a time out!

"Go on. You can come back later when we're done talkin'."

Still pouting, Penny got to her feet and left the room. She stopped when she rounded the corner, pressing against the wall.

"Go on Miss Lorelei. It's alright to talk to us."

"... a whole town had been... _massacred..._ there was... red... everywhere I looked... I saw red n'..."

The woman sighed deeply.

"... n' there wasn't a single survivor there..."

"_Oh on._"

"Oh. Yes. There was no one alive in that town. No man, woman, elder, or child were left breathin'..."

There was a long silence. It lasted a long while before Penny lost interest and left for her room.

When she got there, she found legs sticking out from under her bed.

Penny, curious, went over to the other side and looked underneath. The boy stared back at her.

"... you pway hide n' peek?"

The boy stared at her before sighing and looking away. Penny frowned, moving to the other side and crawling under to join the boy.

She grinned at him as he looked over at her, pouting deeply.

"I pway hide n' peek too."

She told him brightly, smiling at him. Though, the boy looked away from her, huffing like a grumpy grump.

They stayed playing hide and seek under her bed, listening to the muffled sounds of the adults and the rain pouring outside. She begun to hum, finding the silence boring till the boy looked at her again.

"... why don't you go somewhere else?"

She blinked at him, tilting her head.

"... if we're playin'... hide n' seek, then we both can't hide in the same place. They'll find us too easy with you here."

"But where I hide?"

The boy shrugged.

"I don't know. Try maybe hidin' somewhere else? Like a closet, or a different room, or somewhere that ain't here."

Penny thought it over before smiling and nodding her head.

"Ok!"

She crawled out from under the bed, getting up and looking around for a place to hide. Her room didn't have a lot of places to hide as she soon figured out. She couldn't open her closet to hide in there, her bed was already taken, and there wasn't anywhere that could hide her.

Penny looked at the bed, wondering if she could hide back under there with the boy again. She looked at his legs, seeing them stick out from the rest of bed.

"You legs no hide."

She poked his legs, seeing them flinch under her touch.

"_Go. Away._"

"You need ta hide legs! They find you if you no hide legs!"

The boy was quiet for a moment, then he moved his legs under the bed.

"Happy?"

"Yes!"

"Good. Now _go away._"

"Okay!"

Penny climbed up on her bed, burying herself under the covers. She stayed there for a while before poking her head out and stared up at the ceiling. She frowned for a minute before crawling to the edge and looked down.

"You sweepin'?"

"... ya ain't gonna leave me alone, are you?"

"It my room."

"... fair point."

"So, you sweepin'?"

"_No._ I ain't sleepin'."

"Oh! Okay! You sweep now?"

"_No._"

"Okay! How bout now?"

There was a bit of silence before the boy poked his head out and looked up at her.

"No, I ain't sleepin'. If I was sleepin', I wouldn't be talkin' to ya."

"Ooooh... you sweep now?"

The boy made an odd noise, hiding back under the bed again.

"Just leave me alone. I don't want any company!"

"But I'm Penny!"

"No. _Company._ It means other people hangin' with other people. It doesn't mean yer name."

Penny tilted her head, not understanding what the boy meant.

"I no understand."

There was silence, then the boy came out from under the bed.

"Oh! You no hiddin'! You gonna be found!"

"I wasn't playin'."

The boy climbed up on her bed, sitting in front of her.

"No point to anyway. Lorelei always finds me."

"Lo... Loli? Who that?"

"_Lorelei._ She's my caretaker... kinda. She keeps me with her, but she doesn't really care bout me."

"I care bout you!"

Penny threw her body on the sheets, smiling up at the boy who gave her an odd look.

"Ya don't even _know_ me."

Penny giggled, rolling around.

"I care for you! You my friend!"

"No. I ain't. You can't just call people ya just met friends. You need ta know 'em first before ya can even consider bein' friends."

Penny stopped rolling, looking at the boy upside-down.

"We friends?"

"No. We're strangers."

"Oh. I no like strangers."

"Well ya shouldn't. Strangers are bad."

Penny sat up, looking at the boy with wide eyes.

"What?"

"You bad?"

"_What? _No!"

"But you stranger. You say strangers bad!"

"When ya don't know 'em!"

"Oh."

Penny blinked a bit, thinking it over before looking at the boy again.

"But I no know you."

"It's better that you don't. I'm a nobody."

"No-body?"

"Yeah. A nobody."

"Not true! You have body!"

She crawled over to the boy, poking his chest.

"Don't touch me!"

He moved away, but Penny followed him, poking at his arms.

"You have body! You no no-body!"

"Don't touch me! Get away from me!"

The boy jumped off her bed, running out of her room.

"Wait! No go!"

She quickly followed after him, spotting him raced down the hall and gave chase. She followed him as they ran around the house, running down halls and up and down the stairs.

"Come back no no-body!"

"Leave me be!"

The ran into the living room, running around the couch and the adults.

"My word! What's gotten into you two?"

Penny stopped, pointing at the boy hiding behind the couch.

"He have body! He no no-body!"

"She won't stop touchin' me!"

The boy pointed back at her, and her mama laughed.

"Well, you two seem to be havin' fun."

"I ain't havin' fun! She won't stop chasin' me!"

"You have body!"

Penny ran around the couch, catching the boy off guard and began chasing him again.

"No runnin' in the house!"

"Boy, don't run!"

Penny ignored the adults, chasing the boy back up the stairs.

"Come back! Come ba-ah!"

Penny tripped, falling to the ground ungracefully. She picked herself, looking up to see that the boy had stopped running, looking back at her with worry.

"I okay!"

She smiled, getting off the floor and dusting the front of her dress. She looked back at the boy, beaming brightly at him.

Even far away from her, she could the corner of his mouth lift upward a little.

"You case now!"

Penny quickly turned around, running down the stairs, and giggled up at the boy standing at the top. She took off quickly, laughing happily.

It didn't take long for the boy to chase after her, laughing along with her as they raced around the house.

* * *

"I'm really sorry again for the day n' fer the mess-"

"Lorelei, Lorelei. It's fine. The boy was just havin' fun. All kids his age do that."

"Besides, Penny really seemed to enjoy his visit."

Her mama bounced her a little, and she whined, burying her face against her mama's neck. She was tired and she wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"Well. Can't deny that this sudden drop by wasn't fer nothin'. The boy got ta open up a bit n' I guess that's somethin'I can be grateful for."

Penny looked at the woman. The boy laid fast asleep in her arms, mumbling in his sleep.

"Well, best I tuck this young one ta bed. It's gettin' late n' we've over stayed our welcome."

"It was nice havin' you over Lorelei. If you want to stop by again with the boy, just let us know. I'm sure Penny would like his company again soon."

"I'll keep yer offer in mind."

The woman tipped her hat, and then left with the boy.

"I gotta say, that young girl keeps surprisin' me. Never pinned her as the maternal carin' type."

"Indeed. But Lorelei just has a big heart. Besides, the boy looked like he enjoyed playin' with Penny. It's nice to see Penny make a new friend."

Penny smiled. She really liked the boy. He was fun to play with. She hoped he would come by to play again and become friends.

* * *

_~Years later~_

* * *

It was raining heavily outside in Showdown Valley. Most of the folks had taken shelter inside their homes and their shops to keep dry and warm from the weather.

Inside one shop, a young store owner was playing a deck of cards with her long time friend in the back room. The same friend who happened to be none other than the town's infamous bandit, Showdown Bandit.

Most people would be afraid of having such an infamous outlaw in their shop, but not Penny. She wasn't most people, and she knew the Bandit since they were kids and she knew he wouldn't hurt her. If anything, she felt safe with him here with her.

Still, their friendship was not an open topic to discuss in public. Showdown was still a bandit, so most folks wouldn't be too keen if they knew of his regular visits to see Penny and her shop. They were already wary knowing Lorelei Undertaker raised him in his youth, but folks tended to stay away from her unless they wanted a shovel embedded in their head.

Penny smiled as she listened to the rain pouring outside, thinking back to a certain moment in her life.

"Remember the first time we met?"

Penny gazed up from her cards. Showdown looked up from his deck as well, looking at her questionably.

"Why'd ya ask?"

"It's rainin' out."

Penny nodded her head to the window. The usual bright sky was gone and replaced by the dark and mist, covering the land in puddles and mud.

Showdown took a glance at the window, nodding his head with a small smile.

"Oh yeah. I remember. It was rainin' pretty hard that day. Me n' Lorelei were out n' about. Don't remember why, but I do recall Miss Undertaker swearin' up a storm."

Penny giggled, knowing full well how Lorelei hated the weather.

"How is she anyway? Did ya drop by ta see her lately?"

Bandit shrugged, taking a card from the deck and placing it on the table.

"Haven't seen her seen I rode in. Don't think I'll be seein' her this visit. Plan to stop by n' see the Banker when the rain clears up."

"Better not be plannin' in scarrin' the poor man like last time."

"No, no. I learned my lesson. Not gonna use dynamite no more. Just good old fashion gun n' wit."

He winked at her. Penny rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smirk a little. She looked at her cards and smiled, laying them in front of her.

"Whole house."

"Wha-? _Again?!_"

Showdown leaned forward, looking at her cards with a dropped jaw.

"How do ya keep winnin'?! You must be cheatin'!"

Penny chuckled, taking her winnings (a bag of sweets from her store) and set them aside.

"Guess I'm just too good at this game. Best 5 out of 7?"

Showdown smiled, leaning back against his chair.

"Alright. But let's raise the stakes this time."

"Oh? Sweets ain't enough now?"

Bandit shook his head, rubbing his chin.

"How bout, if I win, I get somethin' from yer store for free?"

"What? I don't even let my parents have anythin' for free in my store!"

"Hey, if you win, I'll pay full price. Double if it makes you feel better."

Penny frowned, thinking over the deal. Bandit was an honest payer, even if he was a thief, so she didn't doubt that he would pay if he did lose. She smiled.

"Alright. But if I win, you have ta take me out fer dinner."

She winked at him. Bandit's eyes widen. He stared at her for a moment before grinning at her.

"Why Miss Hemsworth. Are you askin' me out on a date?"

Penny's mind froze. She stared at Showdown for a good five minutes before her words sunk in. A deep red blush grew on her face.

"W-Wha! N-No! I-I mean well-! I-I didn't mean it like _that!_ B-But you see I-_Oh sweet merciful stars why did I say that?!_"

Showdown laughed, getting up and going over to her, patting her on the shoulder.

"Calm down, I'm only messin' with ya. But, sure. I'll take ya out fer dinner if ya win. Been wantin' ta pay ya back for all the times ya let me hide out in yer store anyway, n' I think dinner might be nice."

He smiled at her, holding a hand out.

"Might take ya out even if ya don't win. So, what'da say? We got a deal?"

Penny looked at the hand held out to her, smiling softly as she took it and shook her friends hand.

"Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

"Wed!"

The boy had no time to react as Penny flung herself at him, catching him in a big hug and held on tightly. She looked up and grinned at him, smiling brightly at her friend.

"I miss ya wed!"

"Hi Penny."

The boy smiled back, wrapping his arms around her and giving her body a small squeeze.

"Where's Lorelei? Ain't she joinin' us fer dinner?"

"Fraid not. She said she was busy tonight n' asked if we could watch over the boy tonight."

Penny's eyes brightened, tilting her head back so far until she was looking at her mama upside down.

"Wed stay night?"

Her mama giggled, nodding her head.

"Yes, yer friend is stayin' tonight."

Penny squealed with delight, hopping up and down on her toes and hugging her friend tighter. She loved it when her friend stayed the night, it meant she could play with him more!

"She also asked me ta try a few new names fer the boy as well."

"Still hasn't found a name fer him yet?"

Penny saw her friend frown and huff quietly.

* * *

"Yer mama is a really good cook."

Penny smiled at her friend. They were both sprawled out on her bed, bellies full of food from dinner.

"I wish Lorelei was a good cook. Whenever she tries ta cook somethin', she burns so bad it turns into coal."

Her friend pulled a face, sticking out his tongue.

"Loli no good cook?"

"Nu-uh! Ever when she tries ta make toast, it turns inta sludge! N' it tastes worse than dirty dirt!"

"_Eeeeww!_ Diwty diwt!"

They giggled and laughed, relaxing on top of the bed for a while before Penny sat up.

"We play now?"

She looked at her friend hopefully.

"Sure. What'da want ta play?"

"Bankews!"

Penny threw her arms out, smiling brightly.

"Again?"

Her friend sat up looking at her with a frown.

"Penny, I know yer dad is good friends with some of the bankers, but couldn't we play somethin' else?"

Penny's smiled dropped, looking at him sadly.

"You no play bankews?"

"Uh, n-no! No, I wanna play... _bankers._"

"Yaaaay!"

Penny hopped off the bed, grabbing her friend's hand and pulling him along.

"Okay! You be bankew!"

She led him to the corner of her room, sitting him down and setting everything up for the bank.

"I be lady twyin' ta get money!"

"Penny."

She dashed off out of her room, before turning around and walking back in. She tried to mimic how her mama liked to walk around, going up to her friend and blinking her eyes at him like her mama did with daddy sometimes.

"Hewo bankew."

"... hello Penny."

Penny giggled, blinking her eyes at him.

"I want ta take money out pwease."

"N' how much do ya want?"

"I take, umm."

Penny tilted her head back, thinking how much money she wanted to take.

"I waaaaant... ten tragilloion dollews pwease!"

Her friend stared at her.

"_Psst. You go 'okay, hewe ya go._"

Penny whispered to her friend. He stared at her again before sighing and looking away. Penny looked at her friend, confused. Why wasn't he playing along?

"What wong wed?"

Her friend shrugged, sighing.

"You no play?"

He turned his head, looking at her with wide eyes.

"No, no. I want ta play. What did ya want again?"

She stared at him a moment, studying his face. He was smiling, but it didn't _feel_ like it was a smile to her. She puffed her cheeks out, thinking a moment before smiling.

"New game!"

"What?"

She grabbed her friend's hand again, pulling him up and over to her dresser.

"... weee, ain't playin' dress up... are we?"

"Nope!"

Penny opened her dresser, rummaging around inside before she found two pieces of cloths, one white with pink poke-a-dots and the other one red. Or was it orange? She couldn't tell.

"You weaw this!"

She handed him the red/orange cloth.

He looked at it, looking confused.

"Why?"

"Cause ya need ta hide face!"

She wrapped her cloth around her face, covering her mouth, nose, and her eyes.

"Ta-da!"

"..."

"... I no see anythin'."

She heard her friend giggled before the cloth was pushed down from her face.

"I think bandanas are only suppose ta cover yer mouth."

Penny smiled, nodding her head as her friend wrapped his cloth around his face, covering his mouth and his nose, but not his eyes. The red/orange cloth almost matched his hair.

"Now what?"

"We wob bank!"

"_What?_"

Her friend stared at her.

"Why?"

"Cause we wobbews! N' we's steal money!"

Penny huffed. Honestly! Did he not know how robbing worked?

Her friend blinked at her before giggling and nodding his head.

"Okay. Different than bankers. I'll play along."

"Yay! Now go! We wob now!"

Penny grabbed their hand, heading towards the 'bank' before she felt a tug stopping her.

"Wait. We need guns."

Penny looked back her friend, tilting her head.

"Guns?"

"Yeah. Guns. Lorelei says that every good robber needs a gun n' good aimmin' if they wanna rob somethin'."

"... _Ooooooh_! Okay!"

Penny looked around, looking for anything that could be used as a gun.

"... I no see gun."

"Hmm. Well... how 'bout we use our fingers? Like this."

Her friend held out his hand, sticking up his thumb and finger out.

"Oh! It look like gun!"

Penny mimicked her friend, having her own finger gun.

"Yeah! Yeah! Now I have gun! Let's go!"

"Yeah! Let's go, um, 'Smiles'!"

Penny stopped, looking at her friend.

"... smiles?"

"Yeah, 'Smiles'. It's yer robber nickname."

"Why?"

Her friend shrugged.

"Beats me. Lorelei just says that every robber uses a nickname so no one knows their real name."

"Oooh! Okay! I Smiles! N' you, um, mmmmm, oh! You be Bandit!"

"Bandit? Isn't that a little... common?"

"Um, well. Maybe? How bout... oh! Showdown! Showdown Bandit!"

"Showdown? Ya mean, like the town's name?"

"Yeah! You Showdown Bandit!"

Her friend tilted her head, looking thoughtful.

"Hmmm. Showdown Bandit... yeah. Yeah! I like it! I'm Showdown Bandit!"

Her friend struck a pose and she copied him, giggling all the while.

"Bandit! Bandit!"

"Come on Smiles! We got a bank ta rob!"

Penny cheered, running after her friend with their finger guns pointed and ready to steal from the 'bank'.

* * *

_~Years Later~_

* * *

"What are you gigglin' bout Hemsworth?"

Penny looked up from the fire, turn her head to smile at Showdown.

"Oh. Thinkin'. Thinkin' back ta the good old days of youth n' vigor. N' how thin's were easier fer us."

"Really?"

Showdown smiled, strumming his fingers across the strings of his guitar.

"Well, don't let me stop ya."

"You know ya won't."

He elbowed her gently, and she laughed a little.

It was oddly nice being a 'hostage' of Showdown Bandit. Though most of the time, it was either unintentional or one of their secret planned night outs.

It was nice sitting next to Bandit as he strummed a small melody as the fire burned, eating away the wood and roasting some snakes skewered on sticks. Penny never liked the idea of killing and eating animals upfront, but she did like Showdown's cooking.

"You ever think that it's odd?"

"Hm?"

Showdown stopped his strumming, looking at her with his full attention.

"This."

Penny gestured around.

"Bandit's usually don't let their 'hostages' go wanderin' round freely, or let them cozy up to 'em by a warm fire, or, you know."

She looked at his eyes, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Managin' ta be good friend with 'em in secret."

Bandit stared at her for awhile before shrugging, minding her head, and smiling.

"Well, sure it ain't normal. But when have we ever been normal? Most folks have never seen a bandit actin' nice, or a pretty lil' young lady managin' a store all on her own."

Penny smirked, pushing Showdown's hat down over his eyes.

"I ain't no _lil' young lady._ But I will take it as a complement."

Showdown pushed his hat up, smiling at her.

"Good. Cause it was."

He winked at her, causing her cheeks to heat up slightly.

"Well, whatever if it's normal or not, I'm glad ta have someone like you in my life."

"... wha'da ya mean?"

Showdown smirked, checking the cooking snakes.

"Ya know. Yer always there fer me. Sure ya don't like my ways sometimes, but."

He plucked one of the sticks up, handing it to her.

"Ya always have my back in a way."

"Oh yeah? Name a few."

"Well, let's see."

Showdown rubbed his chin as Penny dug into the snake. She could taste the spices he bought from her store.

"Ya always greet me like a friend when I visit ya. We play cards every Wednesday night when I'm in town. You get all worried when ya find me bleedin'-"

"I'm still mad 'bout last week ya know."

"I know. At least it stopped hurtin' now."

Penny paused, looking at her friend in concern.

"You should really be more careful Showdown. I know yer a bandit n' all, but yer still my friend."

Showdown froze a moment, looking back at her. They stared at each other for a moment before Showdown smiled and shook his head, grabbing his own stick.

"I know. N' that's why we're friends."

He smiled her, tugging the end of his red, or was it orange, bandana.

"Cause yer always worried fer me. N' if one person cares bout me, well, it makes every day worth livin' knowin' at least someone out there cares fer me."

Penny smiled, leaning against Bandit.

"I'll always care about you. You always care bout me."

"Sure do."


End file.
